Wardrobe container



1965 s. P. BELSINGER 3,203,539

WARDROBE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 21. 19s:

IN ENTOR.

SAMUEL P BELSI NGER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,203,539 WARDROBE IUNTAINER Samuel P. Beisirrger, Atlanta, (211., assignor to Beisinger, Inc., Atlanta, 6a., a corporation of Georgia Filed Get. 21, 1963, Ser. No. M7559 2 Claims. (Cl. 2ii6-7) This invention relates to a wardrobe container assembly and is more particularly concerned with a mechanism for positioning and arresting the movement of the hanger bar assembly of the wardrobe container.

In the past, I have devised a number of fibreboard wardrobe containers in which a metal hanger bar is disposed over the upper edge of the container, the hanger bar assembly being adapted to support and retain a plurality of books of hangers which support articles of clothing. With such wardrobe containers, there is dilliculty in positioning the hanger bar assembly in the proper predetermined position. Furthermore, it is. expensive and time consuming to staple the intermediate flap of the flap c against a panel so as to retain the flap flat against its panel.

Also, I have found that, when packing the container, it is difiicult to hold the flaps in a downwardly extending position and that in shipping the container, the hanger bar may have a tendency to shift from side to side, thereby bunching the clothing closer to one panel than to the other.

Briefly, I have devised a simple but effective mechanism for obviating the ditficulties described above. This mechanism includes a plurality of spacer members formed of reversely bent or U-shaped, metal channels of predetermined length which are inserted over the reversely bent upper edge defined by a side panel and its associated intermediate flap, there being one such spacer member on either side of each book of the hanger bar assembly.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide, in a wardrobe container, a mechanism for arresting the sidewise movement of a hanger bar assembly disposed over the upper edge of the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a wardrobe container wherein an intermediate flap is to be held adjacent the upper edge portion of a panel, a mechanism which is readily and easily installed for bold ing the intermediate flap in such a position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a wardrobe container, a mechanism which when installed on the wardrobe container will fix the position of the hanger bar assembly therefore so that the hanger bar may be readily, easily and accurately installed in a prescribed position without the necessity for measuring the container or printing the location of the hanger bar on the inside of the container.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wardrobe container assembly of the present invention, the container having a hanger bar assembly disposed over the upper edges thereof and a plurality of spacer members installed over the upper edges of the container.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the upper edge portion of the wardrobe container assembly shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the spacer members of the wardrobe container assembly of FIG. 1.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present invention, it being understood that in its broader aspects, the present inven- 3,203,539 Patented Aug. 31, 1965 tion is not limited to the exact details herein depicted, numeral 1i) denotes generally a fibre board, wardrobe type container having vertical opposed side panels 11 and 12, and opposed back panel 13 and front panel 14 which define a tubular member. The container 10 also has the usual bottom (not shown). It will be understood that score lines define the common vertical edges 15 between the panels.

When the blank for the Wardrobe container is formed, the fibre board is cut, outwardly of the panels 11, 12, 13 and 14 so as to form slits or extensions of the score lines or vertical edges 15 which define, with aligned transverse score lines, the top flap members of the container 10, the transverse score lines forming, when the top flap members are folded outwardly and downwardly, the upper edges 16, 17, 1S and 1) of the container 16. The flap members are thus respectively separated from their associated panels 11, 12, 13 and 14 by transverse score lines or edges 16, 17, 18 and 19.

In the present embodiment. the llap members of side panels 11 and 12 are scored to provide scorelines, such as scoreline 2t and 21, which are parallel to and spaced from the scorcline forming the upper edge, such as edge 17. This divides panel member 12 for example into an inner intermediate flap 21 and outer intermediate tlan 22 and a top fiap 23. respectively joinc together on the scorelines 2d and 21.

When the flap member 13 is folded outwardly, and downwardly the inner intermediate flan 21' lies flat, outwardly adjacent the pancl 12 so that the upper edge 17 is defined by the horizontal scoreline between the panel 12 and the inner intermcdiate flap 21'. When inner intermediate flap is held against the panel 12, the outer intermediate tlap 22 may be folded outwardly and upwardly, until it is outwardly adjacent the inner intermediate flap 21' whereby the scoreline forms the bottom common edge between the inner intermediate flap 21' and the outer intermediate flap 22.

It will also be understood that the scorcline 21 is spaced from the scorelinc 21) by approximately the same distance that the scoreline 2.8 is spaced from the scoreline forming the top edge 17. Thus, the top flap 23 may fold along scorelinc 21 to a horizontal position over the upper edge 17, extending inwardly so as to form a portion of the top of the container when the top of the container is closed.

It will be seen in FIG. 1 that a conventional hanger bar assembly 29 is disposed between the side panels 11 and 12 in the upper end portion of the container 10. This hanger bar assembly 29 includes a pair of U-shaped, downwardly opening. hooks 3i and 31, each having an outer bearing plate 32; and an inner bearing plate 33 joined along a common upper bearing plate 34 and spaced from each other by approximately the width of two plies of the fibre board. Between the inner bearing plates 33 of the hooks 3t) and 31 is the hanger bar 35 which. in the present embodiment, is an inverted U-shapcd channel member having upstanding pairs of opposed spaced brackets 36 which receive thercbctwcen the end flanges, such as flange 37, of the front and back top flaps 38 and 39.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the inner and outer bearing plates 9-2 and 33 of the books and M are each essentially rectangular in shape and are approximately the same width, thereby having opposed iiitlC edges dtl and 41 which are disposed essentially pa allel to each other and vertical with respect to the axis of the container 16. When the hanger bar assemb y is installed, the outer bearing plates, such as plate 32. lie outwardly adjacent the inner intermediate flaps, such as flan 21, while the inner bearing plate, such as plate 33, lies inwardly adjacent the panels 11 and t2. Hence, the upper bearing plates 34 are reccived on the upper edges 16 and 17 as illustrated in HO. 1.

The structure thus far described has been disclosed in my preceding patents and patent applications and therefore no more detailed description of this structure is required.

According to the present invention, I have provided along the upper edges 56 and 17, on opposite sides of the hooks 3t? and 31, Ushaped spacer or spacing members 50. Each spacer or spacing member 50. as seen in FIG. 3, is formed from a rectangular sheet of metal or plastic which is bent alon" its mid portion to provide a pair of spaced, opposed, c scntially parallel, flat inner and outer plates 51 and 52, joined along their upper edges by a curved, inwardly concavcd web 53. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the outer plate 51 and inner plate 52 are essentially complimentary and have straight lower edges 54 and 55 respectively.

The outer plate 51 has opposed parallel side edges 56 and 57 while the inner plate 52 has opposed parallel side edges, such as edge 52;, the edges at one end, namely edges 56 and 53. being in alignment transversely with each other While the edges 57 and the edge (not shown) of plate 52 which is opposite the edge 53, are also being in transverse alignment.

The width of the U-shaped distance from edge 54 or 55 to web 53 is less than the width of the inner ltl'Cl'tzt-Stllttit) panel 2.1, i.e., less than the distance from edge l7 to score line 20. The width, however, is sullicient that when the spacer :neinbcr t! in talled as illustrated in fit]. 2, the plates 51 and 52 will hold the inner intermediate flap 2! flat against the side panel 12. Furthermore. the distance between the inner surlac s of pl tes 51 and 52 are approximately equal to or slightly less than the thickness of two plies f the fibre board from. which the container 10 is made. Thus. regardless of the length of the spacer member 58, it will act as a clip or clamp to hold the fiap 21 against panel 12.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that while in most embodiments of the present invention, it is desirable that all spacer members 59 be of the same length so as to position the hanger bar assembly 29 midway between the back panel 13 and the front panel 14. It may be found desirable in some embodiments of the present invention to position the hang-er bar assembly 29 forwardly or rearwardly from the vertical transverse centerline of the box by providing varying length spacer members St in either event, the width of the hook or 31 plus the length of two spacer members 50 should be about equal in distance to the width of a side panel 11 or 12.

spacer member 50, i.e., the

Operation From the foregoing description the operation of the present device should be apparent. When the container 1t] is received by the user, it is in a flattened condition as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Hence, the container 10 must be squared and the bottom (not shown) closed. Thereafter. the container 10 may rest on the bottom (not shown) in an essentially upright condition. In such condition, since the various score lines have not been manipulated, the flap members stand essentially upright and must be folded outwardly and downwardly along their fold lines to form upper edges 16, 17, 18 and 19.

When the tint members of side panels 11 and 12 are folded outwardly and downwardly, the score lines dividing the panels from the flap members define the upper edges 16 and 17 over which the spacer members 50 are inserted, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

It will be understood that two spacer members 50 are inserted over edge 16 and two spacer members 50 are inserted over edge 17. When inserting the e spacer members 50, one spacer member it) is placed with its edge 58 adjacent the inner surface of back panel 13. Then this spacer member if) is manually pressed downwardly until the U-shaped web 53 rests against the upper edge 17. in such a position, the plate 51 is outwardly adjacent the outer surface of the inner intermediate flap 21 while the plate 52 is inwardly adjacent the inner surface of the side panel l2. Since spacer member 59 is of sulhcient rigidity to overcome the springiness of the fibre board and the space between the plates 5i and 52 is essentially equal to the thickness of two plies of the fibre board, the spacer member 54] urges the inner intermediate ilap 21 llat inst the outer surface, of panel 12 and holds the some in that pontion.

In like manner a second spacer element St) is installed over edge l? with its end adjacent the inner surface of front panel 14. It is, therefore, seen that the adjacent ends of the two spacer members 50 are spaced from each other by a distance approximately equal to the width of the book 31 and that since the spacer members St are of equal length, the space, along edge 17 therebetween, delines the mid portion of the upper edge of panel 12.

in like manner, the spacer members 5f are installed over the edge 16 so as to define a central space between the adjacent ends of the spacer members 50 for receiving the hook 30.

Once the spacer elements 50 are in place, the flap members of the side panels H and 12 are held essentially in d' wnwardly extending positions so that they cannot interfere with access to the open top of the container 10.

Next, the hooks 3t! and it are inserted over the central portions of the upper edges 16 and 17, between the inner ends of the aligned spacer members 51 Since the width of the hooks 5d and 31 are essentially the same as the distance between the adjacent end; of the spacer members 50, the hooks 3t] and 31 must be positioned midway between the vertical edges 15 of the side panels 11 and 12 and the hanger bar 35 must extend across the central portion of the upper end of the container It] in an appropriate position so as to receive the hooks of hangers thereon.

lt is now seen that the spacer members when installed on the container 10, as above described, accomplish several functions. For example, the installation of the members 50 hold the flap members in a downwardly extending position out of the Way of the packer. in addition, the two spacer members 50 on the opposite sides of the book 39 or 31 prevents the hanger bar assembly 29 from moving forwardly or rearwardly. Furthermore, the inner intermediate flaps, such as flap 21, are held in their appropriate positions, as illustrated in FIG. I. so that the remaining portion of the flap men'ibcrs may be readily and easily folded along the scorelines, such as scoreline 20, into upright positions and then along scorelines, such as scoreline 21, into positions for closing the top.

Furthermore the spacer member 50 is formed from a metal having a smooth outer surface so that this smooth outer surface is presented to any articles of clothing, as the articles of clothing are inserted into the container 10. Thus, no appreciable abrasive force is applied to the clothing if the clothing, in a group on hanger bar 35, is lowered into the container 10. The spacer members 50 also being of rigid material reinforce the upper edges of 16 and 17 so as to strengthen the panels 11 and 12 against any buckling action. It is also seen that there is no necessity for printing on the inside of the container 10 so as to pro-mark the position for the hanger bar assembly 29 with respect to the container 10. The positioning of the hanger bar assembly 29 is automatically provided for, as explained above.

It will also be seen that the folding o the flaps of the flap members, such as flap 23, inwardly over the opening when the container is closed, is facilitated since the rigid construction of the spacer members 50 provide a straight curved edge which tends to define the fold line 21.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations may be made in the embodiments here chosen tor the purpose of illustrating the present invention without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spacer member, for retaining a hook disposed over a fibre board container of the type having two plies joined together along a score line about which one of said plies is adapted to be folded, comprising a U-shaped channel member characterized by a pair of opposed essentially parallel plates each having side edges, a lower edge and an upper edge, and a curved inwardly concaved web joining the upper edges of said plates, the space between said plates being approximately equal to the thickness of two plies of said fibre board containers, the distance from the upper edge to the lower edge of each of said plates and the rigidity of said channel member being sutficient for said channel member, when installed over the scorcline when said one of said plies is folded flat against the other of said plies, to hold said plies together, said channel member being so constructed and arranged that it retards any appreciable sidewise movement in the direction of said channel member of a hook disposed over said scoreline closely adjacent the side edges of said plates.

2. In a wardrobe container assembly of the type including a container formed of fibre board and having side panels, a front panel and a back panel provided respectively with flap members connected to the upper edges of said panels, said panels being connected together so as to form a tubular member for receiving articles of clothing on a hanger bar assembly disposed in the upper portion of said tubular member, and wherein the hanger bar assembly has opposed hooks for extending over the common edges between the side panels and the flap members of said panels when said flap members are folded against said side panels, the combination therewith of a plurality of spacer members disposed over said edges in spaced relationship to each other, each spacer member being characterized by a U-shaped channel having an outer plate and an inner plate connected together at their upper edges by a web, the web of said spacer member being adapted to abut the edge over which said spacer members are disposed, the space between said outer plate and the said inner plate being approximately equal to two plies of. the fibre board from which said container is made, the width of said plates when installed over said edge being sufiicient to extend over a portion of the fiap member next adjacent said edge and a portion of the associated side panel next adjacent said edge for holding the same flat against each other, said spacer members along one edge of said container being spaced from each other by a distance approximately equal to the width of one of said hooks of said hanger bar so as to define the mid portion of that side panel which receives said one of said hooks and retard any appreciable sidewise movement of said hooks along the common edges between the side panels over which said hooks are extended.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,241,633 10/17 Johnson 229-49 2,980,239 4/61 Belsinger 206-7 3,074,538 1/63 Belsinger 206-7 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

1. A SPACER MEMBER, FOR RETAINING A HOOK DISPOSED OVER A FIBRE BOARD CONTAINER OF THE TYPE HAVING TWO PLIES JOINED TOGETHER ALONG A SCORE LINE ABOUT WHICH ONE OF SAID PLIES IS ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED, COMPRISING A U-SHAPED CHANNEL MEMBER CHARACTERIZED BY A PAIR OF OPPOSED ESSENTIALLY PARALLEL PLATES EACH HAVING SIDE EDGES, A LOWER EDGE AND AN UPPER EDGE, AND A CURVED INWARDLY CONCAVED WEB JOINING THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID PLATES, THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID PLATE BEING APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF TWO PLIES OF SAID FIBRE BOARD CONTAINERS, THE DISTANCE FROM THE UPPER EDGE TO THE LOWER EDGE OF EACH OF SAID PLATES AND THE RIGIDITY OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER BEING SUFFICIENT FOR SAID CHANNEL MEMBER, WHEN INSTALLED OVER THE SCORELINE WHEN SAID ONE OF SAID PLIES IS FOLDED FLAT AGAINST THE OTHER OF SAID PLIES, TO HOLD SAID PLIES TOGETHER, SAID CHANNEL MEMBER BEING SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT IT RETARDS ANY APPRECIABLE SIDEWISE MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER OF A HOOK DISPOSED OVER SAID SCORELINE CLOSELY ADJACENT THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID PLATES. 